Debi Jackson — a self-described “conservative southern Baptist” mom from Alabama who wanted a boy — recently spoke in passionate defense of her six-year-old transgender daughter A.J. who began transitioning into a female appearance at age four.

In her heartfelt speech, Jackson describes her daughter’s transition as well as the parental intolerance and ignorant questions raised by others who blame Debi for her daughter’s transition:

“Kids have no idea what they want or who they are. My kid wants to be a dog! Should I let him?”…

“There’s a profound difference between wanting to be something in imaginary play and in declaring who you are insistently, consistently, and persistently — those are the 3 markers that set transgender children apart, and my daughter displayed all of them.”

“Kids shouldn’t have to learn about sex at such a young age.”

Well, I agree, so it’s a good thing that being transgender has nothing to do. Gender identity is strictly about how a person views him or herself on the inside and it is completely separate from who we are attracted to.”

“God hates transgender people. They are sinners and going to hell.”

My God taught us to love one another. Jesus sought out those who others rejected. Some people choose to embrace biblical verses that appear to say that transgender people are being wrong. I choose to focus on verses like I Samuel 16:7 which says “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected him.’” The Lord does not look at the things that people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. My daughter is a girl at her heart. She knows it.

According to PFLAG’s blog A Note To My Kid — a place where “ parents, families friends, and allies of the LGBTQ community the opportunity to share their unconditional love, via notes, photos, and videos” — Jackson has also “started a website for parents of transgender and gender nonconforming children: trans-parenting.com.

People demanding to know why a article about trans people is on Towleroad and whining about how the T isn't a part of the LGB in 4... 3... 2... 1...

Posted by: Alliefoo | Jul 18, 2014 2:00:31 PM

YUP - same thing is happening at my friend's son's school: there's a trans boy. he's 7. his classmates and teachers are FINE. only one other student had a "problem" - and that was only after that student was informed by his parents that he should have a problem with it. amazingly - the kids resolved the issue.

I'm really happy Towleroad has grown its coverage of trans issues. To the increasingly small number of gay men who are resistant to the T in the LGBT movement, you have lost this argument. You don't get to close the door just because you're now on the other side of the wall.

Posted by: reader | Jul 18, 2014 2:47:31 PM

@ALLIEFOO--Thanks for helping the situation. Sheesh.

Posted by: Cran | Jul 18, 2014 3:00:07 PM

Wow... This video was very startling to me...

Posted by: Pookie | Jul 18, 2014 3:26:45 PM

@Pookie -- Interesting. How so? I'm curious what you think.

Posted by: Cran | Jul 18, 2014 3:28:19 PM

Debi just told me that she is no longer a Southern Baptist or a Republican and that she no longer lives in Alabama. She lives in the Midwest and is looking for a new denomination and church. She's still conservative, but in the traditional sense, not the non-conservative, extremist sense that now controls the Republican Party.

Posted by: TampaZeke | Jul 18, 2014 3:41:52 PM

What a speech. A mother's love is very strong.

Posted by: Matt27 | Jul 18, 2014 3:46:56 PM

The daughter is not trans She's just different from the stereotype. Different is healthy. Different is not trans.

Posted by: petey | Jul 18, 2014 6:15:22 PM

"The daughter is not trans She's just different from the stereotype. Different is healthy. Different is not trans."

No, different is not always trans. But sometimes it is. The person inside the body gets the vote. Neither you nor I do.

And you didn't complete your little syllogism, where your next line seemed likely to be "trans is not healthy." Regardless, trans is not unhealthy. Just different from the gender experience of most people.

Posted by: Lymis | Jul 18, 2014 6:31:08 PM

Trans is a submission to stereotype. It is in the mind, too.

Posted by: petey | Jul 18, 2014 6:34:12 PM

The only way one can claim that trans people reinforce gender stereotypes is if they are completely ignorant of trans folks' lived reality. Check out these photos of the folks at Trans March, notice how all the women are in pinafores and all the men are in suits:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=198686

Posted by: Thedrdonna | Jul 18, 2014 7:03:57 PM

Trolling is a submission to stereotype. It is in the mind, too.

See, Petey? I can use your own trolling against you. And by you, I mean Rick.

Posted by: Tyler | Jul 18, 2014 8:11:29 PM

Thanks for sharing that DrDonna! What a freak show. Have you had the surgery yet?

Posted by: Tyler | Jul 19, 2014 2:46:38 AM

This is poor parenting. When your kid is 4, you make the big decisions, not the kid. And you don't make major life-altering decisions without data.

This kid didn't even start speaking until he was 2. He's 4 now. So you are going to label him trans and start "transitioning" him based on 24 months of data? And it isn't like that was 24 months of intensive study. It was 24 months taken up with the usual needs of a toddler. I am sure there were some gender atypical choices and actions, but it seems like a thin reed on which to base this decision. Hopefully, we aren't reading about his de-transitioning at age 8. If that should happen, TheDrDonna will be here to scold Towleroad for covering it, and Little Kiwi and his mindless cheerleading will be nowhere in sight.

Posted by: Jerry | Jul 19, 2014 2:53:46 AM

Actually, I would support the child in finding whatever gender presentation makes them comfortable. Only bigots want to force others into a gender presentation they don't want to be in.

Posted by: Thedrdonna | Jul 19, 2014 3:14:34 AM

What is a female appearance anyway? Long hair? In the 60's and 70's, many American men had long hair. The males of the American Revolution had long hair. Were they trans? No.

My point is that trans is a state of mind and stereotype.

Posted by: petey | Jul 19, 2014 4:34:07 AM

TheDrDonna - You commented on a de-transitioning story that coverage of such stories is harmful to the "trans community." Your community depends upon happy propaganda to sustain its myths and can't tolerate stories about de-transitioning.

BTW, who cares whether you would "support" an 8-year old as he de-transitions from a transition made at 4? You don't know him. You have no responsibility for his upbringing. You are a commenter on a blog. What we should care about is that he isn't harmed as a child. I guess only bigots put a child's welfare about trans ideology.

Posted by: Jerry | Jul 19, 2014 12:34:46 PM

@"Jerry" - i'm sorry that you're upset that this young person is being accepted and understood by her parents, when yours never accepted, understood, or loved YOU.

Jerry, which story? Got a link?
And, my point was that this kid is doing their thing under both parental and doctor supervision. That's how the process works. The only person with an "idealogy" is the one here insisting they know better than the kid herself, her parents, and her doctors. Now, who does that sound like?

Posted by: Thedrdonna | Jul 19, 2014 12:55:20 PM

Cutting Onions?

Posted by: Stephens | Jul 19, 2014 1:53:23 PM

TheDrDonna -

Well, there's no way for a 4-year old to "transition" without the involvement of a parent and doctors, so that's really not saying much. Believe it or not, the mere fact that a parent and a doctor sign off on a course of action is not evidence that the action is correct. It only means that it is legal. By your logic, we should all support the torture inflicted on the subject of the "Sissy Boy Experiment" in the 70s because his parents and Dr. Rekers were all on board. And go tell your intersex friends that you support all the "assignments" and surgeries done on intersexed babies over the years, b/c as long as a parent and a doctor sign off, no one can dissent.

Posted by: Jerry | Jul 20, 2014 3:42:03 AM

"Jerry" is clearly an expert on trans issues, more so than any medical doctor so we should defer to him.